Puzzle.



W. M. BUSHPIELD.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1911.

1,082,460. Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

' IN ENTER \MTNESSIESZ COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH 20.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES. PAdEI @FICE.

WILLIAM .IVI. BUSHFIELD, OF TGRONTO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 0 TI-IREE-IEOURTHS T0 HOWARD H. SMITH, OF TORONTO, OHIO.

PUZZLE.

nosaaeo.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM M. BUsH- FIELD, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Toronto, county of JeHe-rson, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel form of puzzle, and has for its object the production of a simple and fascinating device wherein a plate or card has provided a diamond-shaped slot from which lead other slots to the various outfield and battery po sitions assumed by the players of a baseball team and a slot representing the players bench, and wherein two readily distinguishable sets of playing-pieces, designated men, each bearing a designating character or symbol, are movably mounted in said slots; the puzzle being to retire the men of the team on the bench to their proper positions in the field and to place the opposing team on the bench.

A. further object is to provide a puzzle of the character mentioned wherein the po sitions to be occupied by the various men of the team on the bench are indicated.

The invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of elements, and combinations of parts which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the invention with the men of the opposing teams in their proper respective positions; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the men removed, showing the arrangement of the slots; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken respectively on the lines 88 and 4-4, Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguish like parts throughout the several views1 indicates a plate or card which has formed therein a diamond-shaped slot constituting a base-running path, designate-d generally by the numeral 2, the four sides of which are herein designated 2 2 2 and 2 and which incloses, or marks the limits of, a diamondshaped panel 3. Leading into said panel 3 from the position of the home-plate 4 is a slot 5 which extends to the position of the pitchers box, and a slot 6 leads into said panel from the side 2 to the short-stops po- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 30, 1911.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

Serial No. 646,871.

sition. Leading outward from the various angles of the slot 2 are short slots 7, 8, 9 and 10 which respectively represent the positions to be occupied by the catcher and the first, second and third basemen. Also leading outward from the side 2 to the positions of the loft and middle fielders are short slots designated respectively 11 and 12, while a short slot 13 leads from the side 2 to the position of the right fielder. Located back of the position occupied by the catcher and communicating with the outer end of slot 7 is aslot 14, the same being designed to represent the players bench or the position of the at bat team and extending preferably at right angles to and on opposite sides of said slot 7. One or more side slots, as 15, communicating with said slot 14, may be provided for the additional accommodation of players on the bench. Movably mounted in said slots are two readily distinguishable sets of playing pieces representing the men of opposing teams, each team comprising, preferably, nine men, each of which bears a designating character or symbol which indicates the position it is to occupy when in the field. Each of the playing pieces, or men, is of substantially button form, comprising a shank or stem 16, a head 17 and a base 18, said head overlying and said base underlying the plate or card 1 at opposite sides of a slot through which the shank extends. Said shank is preferably rectangular in horizontal section, having a width but slightly less than that of the slots in the plate or card and a length greater than the width of said slots whereby the turning around of the men in the slots is prevented. The bases 18 of the playing pieces representing the pitchers are of less width than are those of the pieces representing the other men of the teams, the same being adapted to move in a narrow passage 19 provided in a member 20 which underlies and supports the diamond-shaped panel 3, said passage being in register with slot 5 leading to the pitchers box. Owing to the restricted width of said passage, none but the pitchers may enter said slot 5. The remaining branch slots are preferably so short in length as to admit the entrance thereto of but one man at a time.

The diamond-shaped figure 3 presents sharp angles at each of the three bases, as shown, which serve to prevent a man from passing from one side, as 2*, of the slot 2 to another side, as 2 without first entering the base slot, as slot 8, and thence proceeding in a reversed position. Consequently, when a base is already occupied, no man is permitted to pass such base. No sharp angle or corner is presented by the diamond-shaped figure 3 adjacent to the home plate; thus, a man may be freely passed from the slot 2 to the slot 2 and vice versa, without first entering slot 7. lVhile the opening at the home plate A is of relatively large dimension, it is not sufiiciently large to permit of the playing pieces being inserted or withdrawn therethrough.

With the exception of the base slots 8, 9 and 10, each of which may be entered by a man traveling in either direction along the slot 2, entrance to none of the branch slots may be had except by a man traveling in a single direction, an angle being formed at one side of the entrance to said slots. For instance, to enter slot 13, a man must travel. in a forward direction, while, to enter slot 11, a man must travel in a rearward direction, angles 13 and 11 being respectively formed at the entrance to said slots preventing the turning thereinto of a man from the opposite direction. An angle 7 at the outer end of slot 7 prevents a man from passing directly from said slot 7 to the side 2 of slot 2, and vice versa; and an angle 7" at the inner end of slot 7 prevents a man from passing directly from said slot 7 to that portion of slot- 14: located on the left hand side of said slot, and vice versa.

The plate 1 may be unmounted, if desired, but is preferably mounted in a substantially rectangular receptacle 21, being fixed to the latter in any appropriate manner, as by inwardly turned plate engaging flanges 22 carried by the upturned sides 21 The positions of the different men in the field may be indicated by appropriate characters marked or printed upon the plate or card 1 adjacent to said positions, said characters corresponding with those which are to occupy the indicated positions. In like manner the positions of the men of the at bat team on the bench may be indicated.

Access for the men to the slots may be had through a suitably located entrance closed in any suitable manner, as by an inserted piece 23.

While the arrangement of angles at the entrance to slots as hereinbefore described is deemed preferable as adding to the difficulty of solving the puzzle, it will be understood that such angles are not necessary and that the arrangement thereof, when used, may be varied; I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to a device in which such angles are employed. Further, it will be apparent that the arrangement of slots may be varied considerably without departing from the general spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle comprising a plate having a diamond-shaped slot therein, a plurality of branch slots leading from the first mentioned slot to the positions of the men of a base-ball team in the field, a bench slot having communication with the first mentioned slots, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces mount d to travel in said slots, each piece bearing a suitable designating character.

2. A puzzle comprising a plate having a diamond-shaped slot therein, means supporting the portion of said plate inclosed by said slot, a plurality of branch slots communicating with said diamond-shaped slot and leading to the several field positions of the men of a base-ball team, a bench slot having communication with one of said slots, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces representing opposing teams, each piece bearing a suitable designating character.

3. A puzzle comprising a plate representing a baseball field and whereon the several field positions of the men of a base-ball team are indicated, a diamond-shaped slot representing a base-running path, base slots at the angles of the diamond-shaped slot and communicating with the latter, branch slots leading to the outfield and battery positions from the diamond-shaped slot, a bench slot, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with said indicated field positions.

4. A puzzle comprising a plate representing a base-ball field and whereon the several field positions of the men of a base-ball team are indicated, a diamond-shaped slot representing a base-running path, base slots at the angles of the diamond-shaped slot and communicating with the latter, branch slots leading to the outfield and battery positions from the diamond shaped slot, a bench slot wherein positions for the men of an at bat team are indicated, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with the indicated positions.

5. A puzzle comprising a plate having the several field positions of the men of a baseball team indicated thereon, a diamondshaped slot constituting a base-running path, a plurality of slots leading from said path to the various indicated positions, a bench slot having communication with said path, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces movable in said slots and repretions.

6. A puzzle comprising a plate having the several field positions of the men of a baseball team indicated thereon, a diamondshaped slot constituting a base-running path, a plurality of slots leading from said path to the various indicated positions, a bench slot having communication with said path, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces movable in said slots and representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with the indicated field positions, each of the slots leading to the basemens positions and the playing pieces being relatively so formed that the movement of one of the latter through the diamond-shaped slot past such base slot is prevented when the latter is occupied.

7. A. puzzle comprising a plate having the several field positions of the men of a baseball team indicated thereon, a diamondshaped slot constituting a base-running path, a plurality of slots leading from said path to the various indicated positions, a bench slot having communication with said path, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces movable in said slots and representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with the indicated field positions, the playing pieces designated pitchers and the slot leading to the pitchers box being relatively so formed that access to the latter by other than the former is prevented.

8. A puzzle comprising a plate having the several field positions of the men of a baseball team indicated thereon, a diamondshaped slot constituting a base-running path, a plurality of slots leading from said path to the various indicated positions, a bench slot having communication with said path, two distinguishable sets of playing pieces movable in said slots and representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with the indicated field positions, and angles at the entrances to some of the branch slots whereby access thereto may be had by a man when moving in one particular direction.

9. A puzzle comprising a plate having the several field positions of the men of a baseball team indicated thereon, a diamondshaped slot constituting a base-running path, a plurality of slots leading from said path to the various indicated positions, a bench slot having communication with said path, and two distinguishable sets of playing pieces movable in said slots and representing the men of opposing teams, the men of each team being severally designated to correspond with the indicated field positions, each playing piece comprising a head, a base and a connecting shank, said shank being of less width and greater length than the widths of the various slots whereby the reversal of position of such piece in a slot is prevented.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM M. BUSl-IFIELD.

Witnesses:

MACEY E. BUSHFIELD, EDWARD MGKINLEY, J r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

